BILL NUMBER: SB 2065	CHAPTERED  09/23/00

	CHAPTER   589
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 23, 2000
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 22, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 31, 2000
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 29, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 28, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 7, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   MAY 22, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Costa
   (Principal coauthor:  Assembly Member Florez)
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Briggs, Cardoza, House, Machado,
Reyes, and Thomson)

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2000

   An act to amend Section 52456 of, and to add Article 5 (commencing
with Section 491) to Chapter 3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of, the Food
and Agricultural Code, relating to agriculture, and making an
appropriation therefor.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 2065, Costa.  Agriculture.
   Existing law generally sets forth various powers and duties of the
Department of Food and Agriculture.
   This bill would create the Food Biotechnology Task Force, which
would be cochaired by the Secretary of the California Health and
Welfare Agency, the Secretary of the California Trade and Commerce
Agency, and the Secretary of the California Department of Food and
Agriculture.  The task force would consult with appropriate state
agencies and the University of California.  The task force would also
be required to contract with the California Council on Science and
Technology, the University of California, or other entities, as
specified.  The task force would be required to report issues
studied, findings, basis for their findings, and recommendations to
the Governor and the Legislature by January 1, 2003.  This bill would
appropriate $125,000 from the General Fund for the purposes of these
provisions and express the intent of the Legislature to make further
funds available to accomplish these purposes.
   Existing law requires that certain seeds must bear on the label
notice of the requirement to follow the conciliation or mediation
dispute procedures governing disputes between labelers and authorized
people.
   This bill would add to the label the requirement to follow
arbitration procedures.
   Appropriation:  yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Article 5 (commencing with Section 491) is added to
Chapter 3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Food and Agricultural Code,
to read:

      Article 5.  Food Biotechnology Task Force

   491.  The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (a) Consumers have an interest in being informed about the
benefits and potential quantifiable risks to their health from
products they consume.  This information must be grounded in sound
science, must use informative and effective communications, and shall
be consistent with other production technologies.
   (b) As new advances in biotechnology, including transgenic plants,
are developed, it is important to understand the opportunities that
new technologies offer to consumers, farmers, the livestock industry,
food processors, and the environment, as well as to evaluate the
potential risks.
   (c) Under the existing regulatory framework for biotechnology, the
United States Food and Drug Administration has the federal authority
to assure that food and pharmaceutical development using
biotechnology protects public health, the United States Environmental
Protection Agency has the authority to review environmental issues
including bioengineered pesticides, and the United States Department
of Agriculture has the responsibility to regulate the introduction of
genetically modified plants into the agricultural environment.
Careful review of existing oversight responsibility helps in
understanding the regulatory framework governing the approval of
biotechnology products and will help clarify California's role in the
endeavor.
   (d) California is the leading agricultural state in the country,
producing 350 commodities and farm gate revenues totaling nearly
twenty-seven billion dollars ($27,000,000,000) annually, of which
nearly seven billion dollars ($7,000,000,000) is exported.  Support
for agricultural research based in sound science, and the utilization
of modern farming technologies is a key factor leading to California'
s strong farm economy and its competitive edge in the world market
for agricultural products.
   492.  (a) The Legislature hereby creates the Food Biotechnology
Task Force.  The task force shall be cochaired by the Secretary of
the California Health and Welfare Agency and the Secretary of the
California Trade and Commerce Agency, and the Secretary of the
California Department of Food and Agriculture.  The task force shall
consult with appropriate state agencies and the University of
California.  The California Department of Food and Agriculture shall
be the lead agency.
   (b) An advisory committee shall be appointed by the task force to
provide input on issues reviewed by the task force.  The advisory
committee shall consist of representatives from consumer groups,
environmental organizations, farmers, ranchers, representatives from
the biotechnology industry, researchers, organic farmers, food
processors, retailers, and others with interests in the issues
surrounding biotechnology.
   (c) The California Department of Food and Agriculture shall make
funds available to other agencies to accomplish the purposes of this
article and shall contract, where appropriate, with the California
Council on Science and Technology, the University of California, or
other entities to review issues evaluated by the task force or
support activities of the advisory committee.
   (d) The task force may request particular agencies to lead the
effort to evaluate various factors related to food biotechnology.  As
funding becomes available, the task force shall evaluate factors
including all of the following:
   (1) Definition and categorization of food biotechnology and
production processes.
   (2) Scientific literature on the subject, and a characterization
of information resources readily available to consumers.
   (3) Issues related to domestic and international marketing of
biotechnology foods such as the handling, processing, manufacturing,
distribution, labeling, and marketing of these products.
   (4) Potential benefits and impacts to human health, the state's
economy, and the environment accruing from food biotechnology.
   (5) Existing federal and state evaluation and oversight
procedures.
   (e) The task force shall report issues studied, findings, basis
for their findings, and recommendations to the Governor and the
Legislature by January 1, 2003.
   (f) An initial sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars
($125,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund for
disbursement to the California Department of Food of Agriculture.  It
is the intent of the Legislature to make further funds available to
accomplish the purposes contained in this article.
  SEC. 2.  Section 52456 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended
to read:
   52456.  In addition to the labeling requirements of this article,
all seed, except seed at the time of sale by a retail merchant for
nonfarm use, shall conspicuously bear upon the label adequate notice
of the requirement to follow the conciliation, mediation, or
arbitration procedures governing disputes between labelers and any
person, as authorized by this chapter, and the consequences of
failing to follow those procedures.
